Attachments
Written by Adrienn Kiss
Executive Summary
Since the international armed conflict started in Ukraine on 24 February 2022, 7,278,696 people – mainly women, children, elderly people and people with disabilities – fled to other European countries or even beyond the continent.
According to unverified statistics, approximately 2.9 million people have applied for temporary protection in the EU+ countries, and 21,000 of them have lodged an asylum claim. The unprecedented and rapidly increasing number of people in need of international protection triggered an enormous scale of solidarity, starting from neighbouring countries – such as Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and the Republic of Moldova. Local and national non-governmental organizations (LNGOs and NNGOs) intervened in support of authorities and became the first responders. Many individuals and communities in these countries put on hold their regular activities, invested their own resources and mobilized support for refugees coming from Ukraine, including with the private sector. International non-governmental organizations (INGOs) that were active in the neighbouring countries, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and United Nations (UN) agencies scaled up their work to protect and support refugees. Many new actors started operations in these countries in response to the crisis, working in support of national organizations and groups, while UNHCR and the respective governments set up the required coordination mechanisms.
One of the core elements of this refugee response is the solidarity that the host population has provided, immediately supported by other volunteers from Europe and beyond. Self-organized social media channels and online communication platforms have been extensively utilized as a vehicle of coordination of humanitarian aid and management of volunteers. Members of the Ukrainian diaspora and refugees also mobilized themselves in order to assist their compatriots.
This report aims to provide a snapshot analysis and mapping of existing NGO coordination structures and responses in four neighbouring countries to Ukraine, namely Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the Republic of Moldova. Interviews were conducted with representatives of LNGOs and NNGOs, INGOs and UN agencies, including humanitarian, legal and psychosocial service organizations, organizations working with people living with disabilities and mental health conditions, women-led organizations (WLOs), migrant-led organizations, refugee-led organizations (RLOs), youth organizations, and diaspora.
The semi-structured interviews focused on the current responses of these organizations, their collaboration and partnerships with international organizations and the challenges faced, including in pursuing constructive solutions. There was a strong acknowledgement of the importance of partnerships, the contribution given by international actors in responding to the ongoing humanitarian crisis, and the benefits of investing in coordination and complementarity. Both national and international organizations shared examples on how they have been working hand in hand from the very first days of the crisis, bringing solutions to the many challenging refugee situations. LNGOs and NNGOs showed great ownership of the humanitarian response and established their role as frontline service providers, together with national authorities – supported by the international community.
One of the key messages that emerged from the LNGOs and NNGOs involved in the response is the need for improved communication, with partners listening to each other in a spirit of collaboration and equal partnership. Continued efforts should be made to strongly involve LNGOs and NNGOs in the coordination of the response to ensure that international actors understand the existing local expertise and possible solutions before developing new interventions and approaches.
Clear expectations were articulated towards the international community to strengthen engagement with and support for State structures, while jointly aligning existing coordination processes for enhanced efficiency in the response, in line also with the Global Compact on Refugees.